The BBC is reportedly set to lose the majority of its rugby league broadcasting rights ahead of the 2027 season, with two pay-TV broadcasters poised to step in.
According to the Daily Mail, Sky Sports and DAZN are expected to secure the rights as the BBC withdraws amid reported budget constraints. The BBC has stated that no final decision has been reached.
Challenge Cup final could remain
Since 1958, the BBC has provided annual live coverage of the Challenge Cup final, which could continue. The final benefits from legal protection requiring it to stay on free-to-air television, positioning the BBC favourably to continue broadcasting the men's, women's and wheelchair finals.
However, this depends on whether another free network intervenes, and even so, earlier rounds and mid-stage fixtures could migrate elsewhere, as the BBC might negotiate a finals-only deal. Under UK regulations, the final holds Group B protected status, ensuring free-to-air availability but not guaranteeing the BBC will retain those rights.
Recent losses across live sport
So far in 2026, BBC viewers have seen a growing list of live sports leave the corporation's channels. The Commonwealth Games were shown on TNT Sports, bringing an end to the BBC's continuous coverage dating back to 1950. Channel 5 snapped up the free-to-air highlights. The Boat Race and England's Six Nations matches have also moved.
On Sunday, the BBC aired an hour-long highlights package of the Super League Grand Final. The semi-final between Wigan Warriors and Wakefield Trinity on September 26 became the most-watched programme of the day when it was broadcast live on BBC Two.
Current coverage and production costs
Currently, the BBC has screened approximately 12 to 15 live Super League matches per season over the past three years, following a three-year contract agreed in 2024. These have included fixtures broadcast across linear channels such as BBC One and BBC Two.
The production costs for these Super League fixtures remain relatively modest because Sky Sports, the principal host broadcaster, funds coverage of each match and supplies the main camera feeds. The BBC also regularly airs highlights packages.
Rugby League World Cup rights already lost
The BBC has also already lost the Rugby League World Cup. In 2022, when the 2021 tournament took place, it held exclusive free-to-air rights for all 61 matches across the men's, women's and wheelchair competitions.
International Rugby League granted the BBC complimentary broadcast rights for the tournament to boost UK viewership. However, these have been commercialised ahead of the 2026 renewal in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Premier Sports secured exclusive paid rights instead. Reports indicated that the BBC showed no interest in acquiring the rights, despite them being made available to the broadcaster for a "tiny sum."
Back in February, BBC sports director Alex Kay-Jelski insisted the corporation does not need to broadcast live sport in order to remain relevant. Speaking at the Financial Times's Business of Football Summit, he said: "You can still be relevant, you can still matter if you don't show the sport."
"No one out there can show it all. So, you just have to make sure you're in the conversation of the things that matter. For example, we have audio rights to Formula 1 but not video rights, but we still have reporting and live pages and digital video that draw in millions and millions and millions of people."
